SPIKED
GOODS
Using
booze to spice up traditional baking
BY
AMANDA BURHOP
Yesterday I had my first sip of booze in almost a
year. It wasn't even hard liquor, just white wine. But the second
it rushed through my throat, warming and burning as it went, I was
instantly reminded of why I don't drink. I have no tolerance, and
I'm not all that interested in building one. But over the course of
my transition into a culinary domestic goddess, I've found that the
enticing substance can be used for good.
Beyond Jell-O shooters, that college party staple,
alcohol is used in a number of baking recipes that are ideal for those
who prefer flavor over intoxication. As in cooking, many recipes call
for a hint of wine while others take a bolder approach with the use
of heavy liquors like cognac or bourbon. There's not enough alcohol
in these recipes to produce even a mild buzz, but they challenge the
traditionally sweet baked good by offering a milder, almost bitter
aftertaste that's sure to please even sweet-tooth skeptics. Here are
just two of my favorite booze-injected baking recipes:
ORANGE
CORNMEAL CAKE
 |
| Orange
Cornmeal Cake |
Wondering what I was doing with the white wine mentioned
earlier? This citrus cake, based on a recipe from Everyday Baking
(www.pbs.org/everydayfood/baking),calls
for a dry white wine to fuse with the bitterness of grated orange
peel. Much like a coffee cake, this one is topped with a crusty, sweet
outer shell that encases a moist, wine-infused center.
INGREDIENTS
- 1/2
cup olive oil
- 2
large eggs
- 1/2
cup dry white wine (I used
- Hinman
Vineyards)
- 1
1/4 cup flour
- 1/2
cup yellow cornmeal
- 2
tsp. baking powder
- 1
tsp. salt
- Grated
zest of 1 orange
- 1
cup sugar
After preheating the oven to 375 degrees, coat an
8 inch cake pan with olive oil. The pan also needs to be lined with
wax paper, which you then coat with another layer of olive oil.
In a large bowl, mix the oil, eggs, sugar and wine.
Then add the flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt. Grate the orange
over the bowl, mixing occasionally. I also used lemon zest for added
tartness.
Once it's mixed, pour batter into the pan and coat
with 1/4 cup white sugar.
Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, and let cool in pan for
20 more minutes. Don't forget about the wax paper when you're ready
to eat. The cake is too good to let waxy paper get in the way.
CHOCOLATE
TRUFFLE
Maybe I never found an affinity for straight booze
because of my love for all things chocolate. We can only have so many
vices, right? The truffle has many good qualities, among them its
nice presentation and small size. Also, you can flavor them any way
you please. Choosing an alcohol to accompany your chocolate is a personal
decision. Because I'm devoted to the sweet, savory punch of chocolate,
my first choice is Kahlua, but an assortment of wines, rum, brandy
or cognac have also been recommended with this recipe, which is based
on one from www.joyofbaking.com
INGREDIENTS
- 8
ounces of semisweet or bitter-
- sweet
chocolate. There's no sugar
- added
in this recipe, so go semi-
- sweet
if you don't like bitter
- chocolate.
- 3/4
cup heavy whipping cream
- 2
Tbsp. unsalted butter
- 2
Tbsp. alcohol of your choosing
Chop chocolate into small segments and place in stainless
steel bowl.
Bring cream and butter to a boil, and then pour the
mixture over the chocolate. Let it sit for five minutes while the
chocolate softens. Whisk mixture gently and add alcohol. The mixture
needs to cool in the refrigerator for several hours. Once solid, the
chocolate can be rolled into balls and coated. I recommend sifting
a sweet cocoa powder onto the truffles. Return the truffles to the
fridge and cool until firm. Enjoy!
